Conventional motor vehicles, such as the modern-day automobile, include a powertrain that operates to propel the vehicle and power the onboard vehicle electronics. The powertrain, which is inclusive of and sometimes improperly referred to as a “drivetrain,” is generally comprised of an engine that delivers driving power to the vehicle's final drive system (e.g., rear differential, axle, and wheels) through a multi-speed power transmission. Automobiles have traditionally been powered by a reciprocating-piston type internal combustion engine (ICE) because of its ready availability and relatively inexpensive cost, light weight, and overall efficiency. Such engines include two or four-stroke compression-ignited diesel engines and four-stroke spark-ignited gasoline engines. Hybrid vehicles, on the other hand, utilize alternative power sources, such as fuel cells or electric motor-generators, to propel the vehicle, minimizing reliance on the engine for power and increasing overall fuel economy.
A wheel unit of a contemporary motor vehicle is typically a pneumatic assembly with a synthetic-rubber tire fitted onto the rim of a metallic wheel. To ensure consistent road handling, steering and vehicle braking, each wheel unit is connected to the frame (e.g., body in white (BIW)) of the vehicle through a suspension system that generally comprises a collaboration of springs, shock absorbers, and linkages. For instance, the front corner assembly of a conventional rear-wheel drive automobile employs a steering knuckle with a spindle onto which a hub and a brake rotor are rotatably mounted. Inboard contact points of the knuckle are coupled to the vehicle body, e.g., via a control arm, strut damper, and tie rod, whereas the outboard end is coupled to the wheel hub, e.g., via the spindle and hub. The wheel unit rotates and steers on the knuckle, spindle, and tie rod, while being held in a stable plane of motion by the knuckle, strut, and control arm.